Magic! On Ice
by Gaarmeri
Summary: Prince Viktor is bored with his life. Routine has taken over his day. Perfection is no longer enough for him. What will it take to breathe some excitement into his life? Maybe a good kick from his brother Yuri, or perhaps a chance meeting with a young wizard, who knows?
1. The Prince

Today was the perfect day. The birds were chirping, and the sun was shining over the kingdom. Yes, today would be the perfect day for anyone, but not for Viktor. No, to him it would just be another day of the same dull routine. Wake up, lessons in the morning and royal duties in the afternoon, go to sleep and then repeat.

Viktor clutched his favorite feather pillow tighter to his chest. When did he become like this? When did boredom and routine replace the fun and wonder of his life? When did he stop being _'perfect Viktor'_? When did he change?

"No," Viktor murmured against his pillow, "I didn't change, they did." His words felt bitter and resentful, but they were the truth. He hadn't changed one bit; it was just that people had grown accustomed to his perfect self. Whenever he defeated a skilled opponent in battle, he no longer got cheers and applause. Instead, he got phrases like 'To be expected,' or 'Of course he'd win.' Slowly but surely, Viktor had raised the stakes so high that no one was surprised at anything he did anymore. Heck, he could probably take over the world and the people around him would ask him when would he conquer the moon.

The door opened with a bang, a notable feat since the door to Viktor's room was heavier than any other door in the castle. "Yuri~," Viktor called. He didn't need to open his eyes to see Yuri's golden mop of hair and green eyes come through the doorway. He knew that the only person daring enough to kick his door open and enter without permission would be his younger brother.

"Viktor! What the hell are you still doing in bed?" Yuri said, his voice hurting Viktor's eardrums. If Viktor hadn't changed in the last few years, his brother sure had. Yuri had gone from a sweet tiny kid to a rude brooding teenager, still tiny, though. "Get your ass out of bed right now, Yakov's looking for you." Yuri yanked the covers, leaving Viktor in the chilly morning air with only his thin pajamas.

Viktor wrapped his arms around himself and gave an exaggerated shiver, "How you wound me, Yuri! I have done nothing to deserve this treatment!" He exclaimed, rolling out of bed and into the ground with a loud 'thud.' Viktor would be the first to admit he had a flare for the dramatic. He would also admit that he enjoyed messing with Yuri a little more than he liked looking at his reflection.

"Ugh, why did I even agree to come get you." Yuri quickly turned around, but not fast enough to prevent Viktor from seeing the small smile spreading across his lips. Viktor knew nobody forced Yuri to come wake him up every morning. In fact, Viktor was aware that Yuri used any excuse he could to be by his side. But that was good, great even because Viktor enjoyed his little brother's company, even if he didn't tell him that.

"I'll be ready in a minute!" Viktor called after Yuri, and he could've sworn he heard his brother scoff, rude.

* * *

Half an hour later, Viktor was making his way down to the Great Hall. The confident strut he had perfected through the years earned him respectful bows from the men and nervous blushes from the women. The acknowledgment used to excite him, it used to be enough, but now, well, now he yearned for more.

Viktor walked into the Great Hall, maximizing his dramatic factor by pushing the doors open with a little more force than necessary. "I've arrived!" He exclaimed, earning himself a glare from the King's advisor. Viktor visibly flinched, "There's no need to glare at me like that, Yakov."

"Yuri said you'd take a minute," Yakov growled and the bulging vein in Yakov's forehead that Viktor was well acquaintance with, throbbed.

Viktor chuckled, "My dear Yakov, your mistake was actually believing him."

"I don't know why I even try anymore," Yakov grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose, a habit Viktor learned meant Yakov was trying not to smack him. Viktor wanted to respond with something funny, but he figured he shouldn't push Yakov any further, he did like father's advisor, after all.

"Not to worry, I am here now. What's the agenda for today?" Viktor asked despite knowing the answer already. He would probably have lessons and practice all morning and perhaps a hearing or two after lunch. His teachers would tell him stuff he already knew, and his instructors would pit him against opponents he would inevitably defeat.

Yakov grunted, taking out a long parchment that contained the long list that was Viktor's royal duties. "Sit down," he commanded, and Viktor sighed. If Yakov was telling him to sit down, he was going to be here for a while. "Your classes for today include-" was all Yakov got in before Viktor tuned him out.

Halfway through Yakov's yammering, Viktor wished he'd had the foresight to get himself something from the kitchens, an early breakfast if you will. His mind started to wander to more relevant topics, how to escape the hearings in the afternoon, for example. He could sneak out the back while no one was looking or maybe he could bribe Yuri into helping him escape. Once he was free from the castle, he could go for a ride with Makkachin, or maybe he could go to the lake his father used to take him to.

"And you have to greet the new apprentice-"

"Where's my father?" Viktor asked, interrupting Yakov and bringing Yuri back from the teenager's own dazed state.

Yuri leaned towards Yakov with interest, "Yeah, where's the old man? He said he'd be back this week."

Yakov cleared his throat, "The Queen wished to visit the Rose Kingdom, so their trip has been prolonged." Viktor didn't catch the apologetic tone of Yakov's words because he was too busy pursing his lips at the mention of the Queen.

The people called her Queen, his father called her wife, and Yuri called her mother. Viktor didn't call her by any of those names; he preferred not to call her anything at all. As long as Viktor was concerned, she was the woman who had stolen his father away and dumped all the royal duties onto him.

"Mother's always liked to travel," Yuri said with a smile, "there was this time when she-"

"I'm hungry," Viktor said abruptly, "I'll go have breakfast now." He got up and left. He could hear Yakov yelling after him, something about not being finished yet, but he ignored him. Viktor didn't need to listen to the rest of his schedule, nor did he need to hear the one time Yuri's mother did anything.

Morning lessons were a bore. His professor managed to capture his attention for a whole 10 seconds before Viktor was daydreaming again. It wasn't like he didn't want to learn, no, Viktor loved learning new things. The thing was that his professor had nothing new to teach him. Every word that came out of his teacher's mouth, he had already heard from his father.

Before his father had remarried, he used to spend every waking moment with Viktor. The King taught him history through tales of his experiences, horse-riding through long trips across the fields, and swordsmanship through intense duels. His father filled his days with endless fun and never failed to praise Viktor when he did everything right.

"Will you stop moping around?" Yuri hissed from across the table at lunch time. "You're bringing everyone down."

Viktor shot him an innocent look, "Am I? I don't think that's true." Yuri glared at him, but Viktor merely looked at the nearest housemaid and winked. The woman turned a dark shade of red, excused herself and left the room. "I don't think I'm bringing anyone down, quite the contrary, really."

"Whatever," Yuri spat, kicking his chair back, "have fun hearing the villagers out." He said, his voice dripping with so much sarcasm that Viktor wondered what he had done to anger Yuri.

"Yuri! Wait!" Viktor launched himself across the table, knocking several plates and goblets to the floor. "I need your help!"

Yuri tugged his arm to free himself from Viktor's grasp, "And why would I help you?" He said, still trying to break himself free to no avail.

"Yura, please!" Viktor exclaimed. Yuri stopped trying to break free, and Viktor immediately knew he had won. It was a bit unfair, really. For reasons Viktor couldn't comprehend, every time he called Yuri 'Yura,' an affectionate nickname, he could get away with anything he wanted.

Yuri turned to hide his face, but Viktor still caught the faint blush spreading from across his cheeks all the way to his ears. "What do you need," he murmured so quietly that Viktor would've missed it if he weren't listening carefully for Yuri's reaction.

* * *

The lake was as beautiful as ever with its crystal clear water and fantastic view. Plus, when the water was undisturbed, he could see his reflection on the water, and that made it even better in his books.

Viktor walked around the lake and settled under the shade of his favorite heart-shaped tree. What could he say? He was a romantic. His father had told him that the tree was named after a famous princess, but Viktor couldn't recall the name.

 _Someday_ , Viktor thought, _I want a tree to be named after me_. He relaxed under the tree, glad to be free from the shackles royalty put on him. Perhaps his only regret was not bringing food with him, but other than that, he could do anything he wanted. They were halfway through Fall, but it wasn't cold enough yet to prevent him from going for a swim. Or maybe he could try his hand at skipping stones; he had always liked that. He yawned, the breeze lazily caressing his face. Perhaps he could go ahead and forage for sweet berries like when he was a kid, a yawn, or he could go fishing, another yawn, or, or maybe…! He could fall asleep, that worked too.


	2. The Wizard

Life in the mainland was harsh. Every kingdom was affected by either war, famine or sickness, sometimes even a combination of all three. Everyone knew this, so every citizen of the Sakura Kingdom thought it was a blessing that their sweet little home was spared of the tragedies of the mainland.

The Sakura Kingdom proudly stood several kilometers off the shore on a small island that barely anyone dared visit. All the kingdoms acknowledged its existence, but no one bothered with the small island. It didn't have any special or rare resources, so it was generally left alone.

What the Sakura Kingdom did have, was a reputation. The few people who were daring enough to visit the island never came back. Rumors spread around the mainland that the Sakura Kingdom was to be feared, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, the island was a small bubble of paradise separated from the horrors of the mainland by a vast sea.

The island was ruled by the Katsukis, a royal family that was loved by every citizen. The King was kind and fair, and the Queen was wise beyond her years. They had two children, Mari, a strong willed woman and youngest general in the army, and Yuuri, their shy heir who was trained in the magical arts.

Yes, the Sakura Kingdom was the perfect place. Anyone who wanted to leave must be crazy, right? "So what does that make me?" Yuuri murmured to the air as he watched the waves reach the shore.

The sun was setting, painting the sky in Yuuri's favorite mix of colors, which meant it was almost time. The time to tell his parents he wanted to leave was drawing near. His stomach lurched, could he do this? Was he brave enough? The easy and most obvious answer was 'no' since his anxiety was rising by the second just by thinking about it.

"I need this. I want this," Yuuri told himself over and over again. He had been repeating this phrase like a prayer, like a spell that would give him strength.

"Yuuri," said a voice behind him.

Yuuri tensed for a moment before recognizing the voice. "Ah, Minako-sensei, I was just thinking." He said, trying to downplay the mixture of emotions that were crashing within.

Minako sighed and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know you're nervous, but this is a good thing, yes?"

Yuuri frowned. He was trying so hard to conceal his emotions, why could Minako read him so well? "I guess I'm an open book," he said.

His quiet comment made Minako chuckle, "I mean, yes, you're pretty easy to read, but that's not what gave you away." Minako pointed at the sky, and Yuuri looked up. "You always make it rain when you're upset."

Yuuri's eyes widened in surprise. Sure enough, droplets of water were hitting the sand, all without a single cloud in the sky. Yuuri wondered how he hadn't noticed before, perhaps because he wasn't wet at all, another perk of magical rain. "I'm sorry," were the first words that came out of his mouth as he waved his hand and the rain stopped.

His teacher looked at him, and with an encouraging smile she said, "You don't need to apologize for what you can do."

A smile tugged at Yuuri's lips. He liked Minako-sensei, she always tried to bring out the best in him. She had been the first to notice Yuuri's aptitude in magic and the first to teach him how to handle his powers.

However, the fact remained that Yuuri was an elemental wizard, and Minako-sensei was a healer, a great one, but a healer nonetheless. There was only so much a healer could teach an elemental before running out of common ground, and a few weeks ago Yuuri had reached the limits of his education with Minako. If he wanted to continue, if he wanted to thrive, he would need to search for new horizons.

Yuuri looked at his teacher, the teacher that had given him so much, "This can wait. I can experiment by myself and-"

A stern look from Minako shut him up, "Experimenting with magic will only lead to one thing, and I'm guessing you know what that is." Yuuri gulped, of course, he knew. It was the first thing every young wizard and witch learned when they started their magical education; you do not experiment with magic.

Guilt gnawed at Yuuri's stomach, "Yes, I know." Even though the words were true, they still tasted like a lie to him. Truth to be told, Yuuri had done a little experimenting on his own. However, he wasn't stupid enough to do it on his own, his good friend Phichit was always by his side whenever he felt like practicing.

Minako seemed to mistake his guilty face for one of anxiety, and who could blame her, really? Yuuri was such a delicate person that most often than not, he succumbed to the pressures of the world. "Come on Yuuri. It's time," she said, giving him one of the warm smiles that always made him feel better.

"Okay," he answered, following his teacher towards the castle.

* * *

The trees surrounding the castle were beautiful and grand. The leaves that were still clinging to their Summer colors danced with the wind; some fell, some stayed in place. It was a picture of great beauty. Nobody could guess that inside the castle a heated battle was being fought.

"Absolutely not," said Mari, her fists balling at her sides. "Yuuri is the heir to the entire kingdom, and you want to send him away?"

"He needs this!" Minako said, her voice loud enough to be heard, but not so that it would be deemed disrespectful. "There's nothing I can teach Yuuri anymore. He needs to go out, see the world, and explore the possibilities it holds for him!"

The two women were at each other's throats. Mari was arguing that, as the next heir, Yuuri had a responsibility to his people, and that he needed to stay put. Meanwhile, Minako's argument was that Yuuri needed to go out to explore the world and unleash his magical potential.

Yuuri and his parents watched in silence, neither of them contributing to the argument. Minako and Mari's bickering didn't stop, not even when Phichit came into the room to see what all the fuss was about. "They're still at it?" He asked Yuuri in an undertone.

Yuuri sighed, "Yes, they've been at it for hours," he said, massaging his temples. How long could a person scream? He didn't want to stay and find out, but, as the subject of the women's fight, he needed to show his support.

"Who do you think will win?" Phichit asked with an enthusiasm that told Yuuri that his friend would be placing bets if he could.

"I...I don't know." Yuuri sighed, "I honestly just want it to be over."

The King seemed to be thinking along the same lines because his booming voice suddenly filled the room. "Enough," he said, effectively silencing Mari and Minako. Silence stretched across the chamber, but the King said nothing more. Instead, the Queen rose.

"I think we have heard enough from both sides, thank you." She said, her sweet demeanor was somehow more commanding than the King's voice. "My dear Yuuri?" She asked, and Yuuri stiffened. He was about to be called out, wasn't he? "This whole ordeal is about you, and you've been awfully quiet."

Yuuri looked up at his mother, "I-I thought Minako-sensei was doing a good job?" He meant for it to be a confident statement, but his nerves transformed it into a sort of question, efficiently removing any confidence he had tried to inject into it.

The Queen's soft laugh rang through the room. "Yes, yes, dear. I think she has made some good points." A choking sound came from Mari. It was as if she was going to say something, but thought better of it. The Queen ignored her, "Yuuri, the only thing I really need to know is if you want to go."

The words caught Yuuri by surprise. After everything Mari and Minako had said and all the hours of shouting, his mother just wanted to know his desires? Was that the last piece of the puzzle that his mother needed in order to make his decision?

Minako shot Yuuri a look that clearly said 'Say yes,' and Yuuri gulped. It wasn't like he didn't want to go, he did but being away from home would be painful, not to mention lonely. Still, he felt something inside of him he hadn't felt for a long time, ambition.

Yuuri took a deep breath and squared himself, "I want to go." He said without stuttering, which seemed to surprise everyone in the room. There was probably no one who had ever heard Yuuri been this confident, except perhaps for Phichit.

The Queen looked at Yuuri with the same eyes she used when he did his first spell, appraising but proud. "Then there's no other alternative." She said, clapping her hand together in apparent delight.

At once, Mari addressed her mother, "Mother! It's too dangerous! Yuuri has to stay. He has-"

"Enough, Mari. If Yuuri wants to go, there's no reason not to let him." Maria looked like she had swallowed something bitter, probably because she had just spent a good portion of the morning shouting plenty of reasons why Yuuri shouldn't go. "I will not deny that it will be dangerous," the Queen turned to look at Minako, "Where did you say he will be going?"

Minako was struggling to keep her face even, not doubt she was trying to suppress her victorious grin. "Ah, to the Ice Kingdom with an old friend of mine, Celestino. He is a great Elemental."

"Excellent! Ah, but the Ice Kingdom is awfully far away..." Minako opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by the Queen saying, "Yuuri, you should take Phichit with you!"

Similar exclamations of 'what?' came from every person in the room. "Mother!"

"Mari!" The Queen answered with a chuckle, "Wasn't one of your arguments that no one could ensure Yuuri 's safety from that far away? Well, Phichit can do that, can you not?" She turned to look at Phichit with a pleasant smile.

Phichit quickly bowed, "Of course I can, your Majesty," he said with an excited edge to his voice, Phichit was never one to back down from an adventure, after all.

"There you have it!" She exclaimed, getting up from the throne. "Go and pack your bags, Yuuri. You leave in the morning."

The morning? Yuuri wanted to object; it was much too soon. He didn't know how long he was to be in the Ice Kingdom, but he needed time to settle everything here first. Just when he was about to ask his mother for more time, Phichit and Minako grabbed him by the arms, made him bow, and whisked him out of the room.

"No, wait!" Yuuri said, trying desperately to go back, "I need more time!" Minako and Phichit dragged him through the corridors, ignoring his pleas.

"Yes, Yuuri, we know, but time is something we can't afford to ask right now." Minako said through clenched teeth, probably because of the effort of pulling Yuuri.

"She might change her mind anytime now," added Phichit, "And I get to go too! Isn't that exciting?"

Minako and Phichit kept on talking all the way to his room, leaving Yuuri to wonder what he had signed up for.

* * *

"Mother, I don't think you understand what you've done," said Mari, rattling the sword at her hip that she took everywhere. "What will the other kingdoms think if we willingly send our prince away?"

"Yuuri will not be traveling as a prince but as a wizard. There's a difference." The Queen's voice was calm and even, but it had no effect on Mari's anger.

"Yuuri has a responsibility to his people! He has to stay!" Angry blotches of red tainted Mari's cheeks. Why couldn't her mother understand? Yuuri needed to study being King. He needed to spend his days getting to know his kingdom, his people, not traveling his time away.

The Queen looked at her, her eyes reflecting the knowledge only age could bring, "Tell me, Mari, what makes a good King?"

"Benevolence, fairness and leadership," she recited the traits like a well-memorized poem.

"Does Yuuri have all that?"

Mari scoffed, "Of course not." Yuuri was loved by everyone in the kingdom, that was no lie. But Yuuri lacked certain traits needed to rule, a spine for example.

"Of course not," the Queen echoed. "Yuuri has the leadership skills of a rock," Mari stifled a laugh, "But have you seen him doing magic?"

"No," said Mari. Truth to be told, Mari didn't get magic. It was just pretty sparkles and flimsy spells. She had no patience to something that couldn't be used in battle.

The Queen looked at her, a knowing glint in her eye, "Then you can't possibly understand," she sighed, "The way his face changes when he does a spell. The way his movements flow when he is controlling water. Powerful, _confident_." Her words were charged with what can only be described as parental pride, "I believe magic makes Yuuri confident, and I know it is the key to drawing the King out of him."

Mari sighed, hearing her mother talk about Yuuri's magic like that made her realize the lost battle she was fighting. "You better be right."


	3. First Impressions

Everything happened in a whirlwind. One moment Yuuri was packing with Phichit and Minako, and the other he, with a heavy heart, was bidding his family, friends and land goodbye. With his luggage in one hand and Phichit in the other, he began his journey towards the Ice Kingdom.

The trip to the Ice Kingdom was long and exhausting. It took Yuuri and Phichit almost a whole week to get there. First, a day-long boat trip that left Yuuri without the desire to test his sea legs again. The moment they touched land again, Phichit had to, quite literally, drag Yuuri off the boat.

Yuuri had thought that to be the end of their arduous journey, and for a moment there, he was really proud of himself for surviving the trip. However, as it is often the case, his worries were far from over. Yuuri nearly cried when Phichit told him that the real journey had just begun. Their days passed in a mixture of walking and hitching rides because apparently, that's how commoners traveled within the Ice Kingdom.

"It's not only in the Ice Kingdom, Yuuri." Phichit explained one day when Yuuri voiced his thoughts, "This happens in other kingdoms as well."

"Don't their rulers care?" Yuuri asked, thinking about how back home people usually traveled in carts for longer distances.

"I guess they do, but there's so much you can do with a population as large as the Ice Kingdom's." Huh, Yuuri had never thought about that. Were those the difficult decision his parents often talked about? Either you provide a little for all your citizens, or you provide plenty to some but nothing to the rest? Yuuri didn't think he could choose.

Not everything was suffering on the trip to the Ice Kingdom. For one, the landscapes were beautiful. Mountains as tall as the eye could see, crystalline lakes that stretched across the land, and dense forests with trees that hid the sky were the only thing that kept Yuuri going. Everything was so different from back home, the vegetation and even the animals, that Yuuri kept asking himself what wonders would he see next.

On the 6th day of their travels, Yuuri began to wonder just how large the Ice Kingdom truly was. "How much longer do you think it'll be?" He asked Phichit, whose initial excitement had survived the stiff legs and sore feet.

"It shouldn't be long now," Phichit said, but Yuuri could tell he wasn't so sure about that. "I mean, we've been traveling for days, we should at least be near, right?"

As in cue, the cart's driver called for their attention and said, "Over there!" He pointed towards the horizon, where the speck of a town was quickly coming into view.

"Look at that!" Exclaimed Phichit, shaking Yuuri's shoulder and almost knocking his glasses off. Yuuri couldn't be mad at Phichit's outburst, he himself had been rendered speechless by the grand town, no, city, that lay in front of them. Giant buildings that put his own castle to shame stood proudly in a display of luxury and grandeur.

"Impressive, isn't it?" asked the driver, a satisfied smirk on his lips. It was evident that he enjoyed showing the city to newcomers. "And that over there is the castle." The man pointed at a gray structure that didn't look like a castle at all. In Yuuri's opinion, it was more like a fortress.

"Funny what a little distance can change, right?" Phichit murmured, and Yuuri had to agree. The more they approached the city, the more differences he noticed. The buildings, the people, the food and even the smells were foreign. It overwhelmed Yuuri just how different everything was from back home.

"Well, there you go," said the driver, bringing the cart to a stop. Yuuri and Phichit gathered their belongings and hopped off.

"Thank you!" Phichit waved the driver goodbye, and Yuuri used the opportunity to drink in every detail of his surroundings.

"Phichit?" Said a voice behind them. Yuuri turned around to see a muscular man shaking Phichit's hand. He didn't need to think too hard to know that it was Celestino. After all, the man didn't fit in with their surroundings.

"Yes! And this is Yuuri," Phichit let go of Celestino's hand to introduce Yuuri.

"Ah! Yuuri," Yuuri extended his hand to shake, just like Phichit had done, but Celestino dropped to one knee and bowed his head instead. "Your Highness, it's a pleasure to be of assistance."

Curious eyes observed them as Yuuri blushed and tried, in vain, to pull Celestino to his feet, "It's alright, it's alright!" He whispered, remembering that Minako had told them not to draw attention to themselves. This definitely counted as attention.

"He's just feeling a bit ill, is all," Yuuri heard Phichit tell the small crowd that had formed around them.

"Did Minako not mention the circumstances?" Said Yuuri, desperate now.

"Ah!" In a movement too quick for Yuuri, Celestino got to his feet, knocking him to the ground. "She did say something about your identities being secret. Oh, I'm so sorry," He offered Yuuri a hand.

"Are we on time? The driver took a shortcut. Well, at least I think it was a shortcut..." Phichit mumbled.

"Oh yes, yes. You are just in time. Let's head to the castle." Celestino helped Yuuri up and offered to carry his luggage for him. Yuuri tried to refuse, but Celestino was much larger and stronger than him. "I insist," Celestino said, and with a firm tug, he ripped Yuuri's bag from him.

They arrived at the castle fortress in less time that Yuuri would've imagined. Celestino led them through the twists and turns of the city, using back alleys and shortcuts he claimed only he knew. At last, the castle's iron gates came into view, and Yuuri's heart sped up in his chest. This was it, his opportunity to grow.

An alarming number of guards approached them, asking them questions and going through their belongings. Who are you? Where are you from? How long are you staying? Questions after question that only stopped when Celestino vouched for them for the seventh time.

"Why are there so many guards?" asked Yuuri, clutching his bag tightly to his chest and feeling like a little of his virtue had been taken away.

"Well, this is where the royal family lives," Celestino explained as he guided them through the castle. "It's only natural to want to protect them."

Phichit and Yuuri exchanged a glance. Protect them from what exactly? Back home, a few guards watched over the castle, yes, but it was merely a formality. The citizens were free to come and go as they pleased, and so was the royal family.

Before Yuuri could overthink some more, they arrived at the Great Hall. A grumpy looking man with little hair was standing next to the throne. "Yakov! I've come to introduce my new apprentices!" Celestino threw his arms around Yuuri and Phichit, hugging them close.

"Celestino," Yakov said with an edge to his voice, "Yes, yes, just in time. Prince Viktor has stepped out for a moment, but he should be back in no time." Yakov averted his gaze in a gesture that looked too intentional to Yuuri. Was there something wrong?

The doors to the Great Hall burst open, startling everyone in the room except for Yakov, perhaps he was used to this sort of antics. A blond kid came in with a bold stride and nose in the air. "Yakov!" he barked, "I will take over now." The kid plopped himself on the throne with a sort of grace that shouldn't be possible.

Yakov pinched the bridge of his nose, "No you're not. Get off the throne before Viktor comes back." Yakov didn't sound mad. Actually, to Yuuri's ears, he sounded tired.

The kid ignored him, "Viktor's gone."

The vein in Yakov's forehead throbbed, "Go get him," he said through gritted teeth.

The kid smirked. It almost seemed like he enjoyed pushing the man, "I don't know where he went. I just know that I need to learn the ropes to rule the kingdom."

"You're not ready," Yakov growled, "Go. Get. Viktor." Yakov glared at the blond with such intensity that Yuuri felt a shiver run down his back.

Phichit put a protective arm around Yuuri, "Don't worry-" But Phichit couldn't finish his sentence because the kid snapped.

"WHY WOULD I?" The blond yelled, his pale skin turning an ugly shade of red from the strain. "What's so remarkable about this meeting? It ain't royalty-" Yuuri stiffened in spite of himself, "It ain't anyone famous nor important." The kid turned to look directly at Yuuri with the coldest eyes he had ever seen, "It's just a pig and his friend." Yuuri was sure he wasn't the 'friend.'

"How dare-" Phichit started, but was swiftly interrupted by Yakov yelling 'Enough.'

The room grew silent. The kid has crossed a line, and he knew it because he chose to glare at Yuuri instead of talking back. Celestino was the only one brave enough to break the silence, "I take it we can go?" His cheerful voice the total opposite of the tense atmosphere.

"Yes," Yakov breathed, "I think that would be best."

"Great!" Celestino clapped his hands together, and the sound broke Yuuri out of his frozen state. Great, it was time to go. Phichit, still glaring at the blond kid, grabbed Yuuri's arm and pulled him towards the exit.

Once outside, Yuuri took a huge gulp of fresh air and let himself relax. Phichit, however, was not happy with the way they were treated, and he took no time in voicing his thoughts to Celestino, "Can you believe that kid? He was incredibly rude!"

Celestino sighed, "Yes, the young prince can be quite rude." He placed his hands on Yuuri's shoulders, "Don't worry, though, he's like that with everyone. He wasn't singling you out." Perhaps Celestino had said this to reassure him, but Yuuri didn't feel any better.

"That's no consolation at all!" Phichit crossed his arms across his chest, "I'm just saying that wars have been fought for less than that. Don't you think so?" His remark made Yuuri smile. Phichit could always get him to smile.

"Yes, yes," said Yuuri, "Let's just keep that to ourselves, shall we?"

* * *

The slope was steep, and if it weren't because the sun was hidden behind the clouds, Yuri would be sweating his lunch off. Yuri was halfway there, and he was already panting, not because he was tired, of course not. It was just the change in altitude, yes, that was it.

"Damn Viktor and his stupid lake..." Yuri murmured in between breaths. He had told Yakov he didn't know where Viktor was, but that wasn't exactly accurate. He didn't have any idea where he was, but he could guess.

Hidden behind a thick wall of vegetation and a half hour mountain climb that only really long legs could manage, was Viktor's special place. A picturesque lake so deep that Yuri could easily drown Viktor in it. Yes, the perfect place. Viktor always came here when he ditched his classes or responsibilities.

Soon enough, the trees that surrounded the lake came into view. About time, Yuri thought, breathing hard through his nose. He wasn't tired, shut up. His useless brother was lying underneath the shade of a tree. Yuri picked up the pace. He didn't want Yakov to die of a heart attack, so he might as well hurry.

Viktor was handsome, that was common knowledge, but his sleeping face was practically flawless. Yuri almost felt guilty for waking him up, almost. "Oi, wake up," he said, nudging Viktor with his foot. Viktor groaned and rolled around, mumbling something that sounded like 'five more minutes.' But Yuri didn't care. They didn't have five more minutes. "I said wake up!" He kicked Viktor on the side, and his brother yelped with pain.

"Ow, ow, ow," Viktor rolled around on the floor. "Yuri," Viktor said, prolonging the 'u' in his name, an annoying habit he had slipped into a while ago. "Why do you wound me like this?" Viktor stopped and finally opened his eyes. "How did you find me?" Viktor tried to hide it, but Yuri caught the annoyed undertone in his voice. He knew this was Viktor's special place. He also knew that Viktor tried his hardest to keep the lake a secret from everyone, even his younger brother.

Half brother, Yuri found himself thinking. Viktor never said it aloud, never called him anything but 'Yuri' or sometimes 'Yura,' but he could feel the distance Viktor put between them. It was in the way Viktor kept secrets, or in the way he would never stay long when people started talking about Yuri's mother. The distance that Yuri has been unsuccessful to close after all these years was still there, and it still hurt.

Viktor was looking at him expectantly, but Yuri would first die than to admit that he had once followed him in an attempt to bridge the gap between them. "Nevermind, then," Viktor said when Yuri didn't respond. "I swear you get more violent with age." He said, rubbing the side of his stomach with a grimace.

Yuri scoffed, "Whatever you say, old man." He ignored Viktor's pout, "Yakov's looking for you, and he's pissed."

"How is that news?" Viktor asked with a cocky grin that made Yuri smirk. He knew for a fact that his brother was the reason why Yakov's hairline receded by the minute. But their father had asked them to help him keep Yakov's blood pressure in check, so Yuri had to do his part.

"He wants you back in the castle. Apparently, you missed your super important meeting with the pig-"

"The pig?"

"Don't ask." Viktor frowned in confusion but didn't pursue the subject. "Anyways, Yakov says you're a disgrace to the entire kingdom and all that, you know, the usual." Viktor nodded in agreement and took Yuri's outstretched hand to help him get up.

Viktor raised a finger to his chin and tapped it, deep in thought. "Did I miss something important? I don't remember him saying anything in the morning."

"It's not as if you listen to him," Yuri said, ignoring the fact that he didn't listen to Yakov either. "Whatever, let's go." Yuri turned in his heel and took a few steps before realizing that Viktor wasn't following him. His brother was looking longingly at the lake, no doubt wishing he could stay longer. Yuri found himself being annoyed by this, just how selfish was Viktor? Viktor had had all afternoon to fool around while Yuri had to run around preventing Yakov from launching a kingdom-wide manhunt so that he could have some alone time. Where were his thanks? "Did you not hear me?"

Viktor sighed, "Yes, yes. I'm coming."

* * *

Viktor and Yuri walked down the halls of the castle. It was almost midnight, and the moonlight was the only thing illuminating their path. "I thought I'd go deaf!" said Yuri, snapping his fingers near his ear as if to test that his hearing was still working.

"Yes, that was quite awful, wasn't it?" Viktor knew the Ice Kingdom's castle was sturdy and well built. It was designed to keep the rooms warm in Winter and breezy all Summer, and it could withstand the attack of an army. The moon could come crashing down, and the castle would probably still be standing. So it was quite the notable feat when Yakov's yells made the walls tremble.

"Awful, awful..." Viktor chanted then stopped when Yuri made an unusual turn, "Where are we going exactly?"

Yuri turned to look at him in disbelief, "Didn't you hear Yakov?"

Viktor gave his brother his most dazzling smile, "Yes, yes, it would be difficult not to hear him, right?" His smile grew, "but not impossible," Yuri rolled his eyes and groaned. Truth be told, Viktor was so used to Yakov scolding him, that he could probably use his shouts as white noise to help him sleep. He clung to Yuri's arm, "Come on, Yura~ Tell me~" He knew his brother was weak to the little nickname.

Yuri sighed, "We're going to see Celestino and introduces ourselves, remember?"

"Oh, right," Viktor tried his best imitation of his usual aloofness, but he could tell he hadn't fooled Yuri.

"What's wrong?" Yuri asked with narrowed eyes.

"Nothing, nothing," He said with his best greeting-royalty smile, the one that could charm the titles off princesses and princes alike. Yuri frowned but stayed quiet, making Viktor feel a bit guilty. But he couldn't tell Yuri, he would never understand. "Oh lookey, we're here!" He clapped his hands, "Let's introduce ourselves, shall we?"

Yuri murmured something that sounded like a bitter 'whatever,' and Viktor reached towards the door and knocked. Seconds stretched into minutes, but Viktor stood by the door, waiting politely. Perhaps Celestino was reading a book or something. That was common amongst their kind, right?

Yuri growled, "For fuck's sake," He made to knock again, and Viktor was just about to tell him that princes never used that language when a loud explosion shook the door.

Wait, what happened? They stood in place, frozen. Were they under attack? Should he prepare the troops? And what was that foul smell? "Watch out!" yelled Yuri, pointing at the crack beneath the door where smoke was seeping out.

Viktor acted out of instinct as he quickly stepped back, dragging Yuri with him and narrowingly missing the door that had just blasted open. Green thick smoke came out of the room. It smelled like rotten eggs, trash and basically everything awful in the world. It took everything in him not to gag, and he was suddenly grateful that Yakov's scolding had prevented him from getting dinner.

"Celestino, why?" A voice behind the thick smoke whined in between coughs.

"Ah, that didn't go as planned. Just a teeny tiny mistake. Nothing to worry about, nothing!" Though, Viktor could thing at least of four different things to worry about.

"Ugh, this is awful," the other man gagged.

"Careful, Phichit! Careful!" The smoke had dissipated enough for Viktor to make out Celestino's form as he pushed back his sleeves and did something complicated with his hands. At once, a gust of wind blew around them and carried the smoke away. "All better now, and- Oh!" Celestino noticed them, "If it isn't the prince and his younger brother!" His voice was cheery and carefree, not the voice of a man that had just had an explosion in his room.

Yuri frowned, "What do you mean younger brother-"

"What happened?" interrupted Viktor. He knew Yuri was very particular about being called a prince alongside his brother, but they didn't have time for formalities.

"Just a little experiment I was doing. Nothing to worry about, nothing," Celestino waved his hand around. It had been years since he had seen Celestino but the wizard hadn't changed at all. He still had the same dark long hair and tanned skin that marked him as an outsider in the land where losing a person in the snow was a real threat. "What is to worry about, is the reason your Highness is here. What can I do for you?" He said with a little bow.

Yuri looked like he was about to kill Celestino for ignoring him, so Viktor stepped in. "Ah, we're just here to introduce ourselves to your apprentice."

"Ah, marvelous!" He exclaimed with so much joy that Viktor couldn't help but smile. "This is Phichit, right here." He put his arm around a man much younger than him.

Dark hair, eyes, and skin, another outsider. "Pleasure to meet you," said Viktor in his most dazzling smile. "I am Prince Viktor, and this is my brother, Prince Yuri."

Phichit shook Viktor's hand, "Ah yes, we've...met." Viktor knew there was a story somewhere in Phichit's hesitation, but he didn't want to hear it. The sooner he was out of here, the better.

"Oh, pity my other apprentice isn't around," Celestino pouted, and Viktor couldn't help but wonder if he looked like that when he pouted. Of course not, he looked adorable.

"There's more?" Viktor blurted out in a panicked voice.

Phichit looked at him with narrowed eyes, and Viktor composed himself. He had to keep up his perfect prince facade, he had a reputation, after all. "Ah, yes. I got two apprentices, wonderful, right?" Celestino said.

"Wonderful, yes," Viktor replied, stretching the smile tighter across his face.

"Phichit, do you know where Yuuri went?" Celestino asked his apprentice.

Yuri, fed up with being treated like he wasn't there, looked livid. Viktor stepped in again, "No, Yuri is right here," he motioned at his brother, "But we'll appreciate if you told us where your other apprentice is."

Celestino shook his head vigorously, "No, no, Yuuri isn't here. He went...somewhere,"

"Stop ignoring me old man! I am right here!" Yuri exploded.

"Of course you're here, but Yuuri isn't!" Viktor stared at Celestino with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. Did the wizard really not know Yuri's name? Sure, Yuri wasn't as involved in the kingdom's affairs as much as Viktor was, but Yuri was still a prince, shouldn't Celestino at least know his name?

"Nevermind, nevermind," said Viktor, wanting to avoid a full blown Yuri tantrum because his eardrums wouldn't be able to stand it. "We're here for your apprentice, could you tell us where he is?"

Celestino threw his arms into the air in exasperation, causing another gust of wind to blow around them. "Yuuri, Yuuri!" He said, prolonging the 'u' in Yuri's name in the way Viktor often did. "My apprentice is called Yuuri, and he is currently somewhere I don't know."

"Oh," said Yuri and Viktor in unison. That made sense, in a weird way. Who knew the new apprentice would be named the same as his brother? What were the odds? Viktor blushed, what an awkward conversation. "And do you know when he'll be back?"

"Ah, no. I expect he has already gotten lost…" Celestino tapped his chin with his finger, probably wondering if he should go look for his student.

Yuri sighed, "I'm done," He turned and walked away. "Destiny doesn't want you to meet the impostor, and who are we to go against it?"

"Yuri, wait! What about Yakov?" Viktor said, jogging to catch up with his brother. He glanced at Celestino, who was already making himself busy with a book, but Phichit caught his eye. Phichit was looking at Viktor with the same suspicious narrowed eyes. He knows, Viktor thought. He totally knows. Viktor hurried towards Yuri, leaving the two wizards alone.

* * *

Yuuri hadn't meant to get lost. He'd just wanted to get as far away from the castle as he could. So how in the world did he end up in the middle of the woods? Yuuri had tried to go back the way he came, he wasn't stupid. But it was dark, his eyesight wasn't the best, and the ups and downs from the slopes had disoriented him. He should've brought Phichit, he would know what to do.

A few more steps in that direction, a few other in this other. If Yuuri didn't know which direction to take, he would take all of them. He was aware that it was a rubbish idea, but as things were going, he'd be lucky if he made it back to the castle before sunrise.

A couple minutes, and a lot of walking later, Yuuri found himself standing beside a lake. "Wow..." Yuuri muttered as he approached the crystal clear lake that perfectly reflected the moonlight. It was surrounded by huge trees like they were offering it their protection. The scene looked as if it had been taken straight from a fairytalen, and it felt strangely intimate.

Yuuri looked around. He was perfectly alone, might as well practice, right? Pushing every warning from Minako about experimenting with magic away, he reached a tentative hand towards the water. His hand hovered above it, barely touching the water's surface, and suddenly, it froze.

Yuuri smiled and used his other hand too, freezing the water beneath his hands in an instant. Oh the joy. Yuuri got up, barely containing his eagerness, and touched the tip of his shoe to the water. Nothing happened.

With a huff, Yuuri took off his shoes. If he was going to practice, he might as well give it all he got. He touched his foot to the water, and this time, the water froze beneath, allowing him to step on the lake. It was then when Yuuri let himself go. No worry or anxiety attack could disturb him when he was like this, dancing on the ice.

A twist and a twirl would make the water rise, and a wave of the hand would solidify it into something beautiful. An extended leg, a little jump and plety of spins, oh how Yuuri loved to spin. Yuuri didn't know how long was he at it. It could've been seconds, minutes, hours, he didn't know. All he knew was that when he was over, the place was barely recognizable.

Ice sculptures littered the lake at random some even defying gravity, but not in a chaotic way. All of them belong together, like when brushstrokes created a painting. Yuuri devated whether to leave it like that, but decided against it. What if someone saw?

Yuuri walked towards the edge of the lake, raised his arms, brought them down, and with a loud whoosh, the ice had melted. The water came down hard enough to soak Yuuri, who groaned, it was at times like this that he wished he knew fire magic.

Yuuri looked at the lake one last time before picking a random direction and walking towards it, hoping, from the bottom of his heart, that this one would take him to the castle.

Little did Yuuri know that was the direction Viktor, who was concealed behind the bushes, had used to come up to his secret place whistl taking his midnight stroll. Viktor rose from his hiding place and stared after Yuuri. Who was that? What type of magic had he done? And had Viktor known true beauty until now?


End file.
